Agfa breaks data-transfer record
Agfa Healthcare has broken a world speed record for data transfer
during its installation of Cardiff and Vale NHS Trust’s new picture
archiving and communications system (PACS).
The Agfa team took just two days to transfer 8.7 terabytes of patient
data from existing systems onto the new IMPAX PACS as part of the
rollout of the system across the Trust.
“We were initially worried that the migration of data would be a
time-consuming process”, said Gareth Bulpin, IT Manager at the Trust
(PACS data is usually extracted from existing systems through digital
imaging and communications in medicine (DICOM) export interfaces — and
existing PACS archives often don’t have the tools to perform this
process rapidly, while simultaneously supporting clinical operations).
“The speed at which Agfa transferred data from our old systems to new,
however, was just amazing”, he said.
Agfa’s data-migration service (DMS) combines in-depth knowledge,
technology and the expertise to transfer existing PACS data rapidly with
the minimal amount of disturbance for clinical operations. The short
period of data transfer helps to reduce the whole timing of a PACS
project and this only helps to offer value and cost savings for
hospitals.
“DMS can be used for all existing PACSs that store images in files,
or in data packages such as zip archives, provided the images have
information to link them to existing PACS database entries”, said Grant
Witheridge, UK Sales Manager, Agfa Healthcare (pictured seated at right
of table, with Larry Petterson and the Cardiff Trust team).
“Transfer is easy if the images are stored in a DICOM format, which
has identifiers in the header fields. Other information, such as Windows
settings, notes and procedure numbers may also be transferred if the
information is available and the additional costs are justified.”
Source: bjhc&im July 2006
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